Articulated car



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. M F. BRINCKERHOFF ARTICULATED CAR Filed Jan. 51, 1930 INVE TOR sjf 2 ATTORNEY June 24, 1930.

June 24, 1930. F. MCF. BRINCKERHOFF ART I CULATED CAR Filed Jan. 51 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY June 24, 1930. F. MOF. BRiNClKERHOFF s Sheets-Shet s ARTICULATED CAR Filed Jan. 51, 1950 ATTORNEY Patented June 24, 1930 FRANCIS MCF. BRINCKERHOFF, 0F SUFFERN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO PRESSED STEEL CAR COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 03' NEW JERSEY ARTICULATED CAR Applicaaion filed January 31, 1930. Serial No. 424,865.

This invention relates to transportation cars and particularly to railway cars of the articulated unit type in which the adjacent ends of two of the bodies of the car are carried by a single truck and has for an object the provision of a connection for said bodies and truck which will permit the bodies to swivel relatively to each other and will also permit relative swiveling movement between the bodies and the truck and at the same time will prevent undue longitudinal movement of the bodies relative to the truck and to each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide the adjacent ends of two bodies of an articulated car with means for transmitting buffing shocks from one of said bodies to the other and also to provide such ends and their supporting truck with bearing means which when in cooperated engagement tend to maintain the means for transmitting the bufiing shocks in engagement at all times.

A further object of my invention is to provide an articulation connection between the adjacent ends of two of the bodies of an articulated car in which one of the bodies is supported on the bearing means of the other body, both of which are supported on a common truck.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of portions of the adjacent ends of two bodies of an articulated car embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of portions of the adjacent ends of two bodies embodying the invention; Fig. 3 is a section taken along the lines 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section taken along the lines H of Fig. 3 and shows in enlarged detail the method of supporting the one body on the other; Fig. 5 shows in elevation the downward depending member of the one body; Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the adjacent downward depending member of the other body; Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail plan View of portions of the adjacent ends of two bodies of the car embodying a modification of my invention; Fig. 8 is a section taken along the lines 8--8 of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of a section taken along the lines 9--9 of Fig. 7.

Referring now in detail to the drawings where like reference characters refer to like parts reference character 1 indicates an articulated car unit which may comprise two or any other desired number of car bodies. In the drawings, the adjacent ends of two bodies 2 and 3 of the car have been illustrated but it will be understood that the following description is applicable to the adjacent ends of any two bodies. When the car comprises two bodies there will by three trucks, one supporting adjacent ends of the two bodies and one supporting the opposite end of each body. When the car compnses three bodies there will be four trucks, thus it will be seen that for every body additional to two there will be another truck.

The adjacent ends of the bodies 2'and 3 have underframe members 4 and 5, each of which in the present embodiment of the invention are cast integral, but it will be understood that these underframe members may be of any other suitable construction. These underframe members are provided with downwardly depending portions 6 and 7 which have a convex end portion 8, such end portions being in the form of a portion of a sphere, the center of which sphere is substantially midway between said ends and directly above the center of a truck bearin 9 secured to.,.the bolster 10 or any other suita le part of a truck. Secured to the body 2 is a bearing member 11 having an upper concave face 12 and a lower convex face 13 in the form of a portion of a sphere, the center of whlch sphere is the same as the center of the spherlcal surfaces 8 of the members 6 and 7. The member 11 has substantially vertical sides 28 which surround the member 6 and bein secured to the body 2 the members 6 an 11 move as a unit during all swiveling movements of the body. The downward depending member 7 of the body 3 rests within the member 11 but is free to move independently of the member 11 and body 2 and has its bearing surface wholly on one side of the medial line of the spherical concave bearing surface upon which it rests.

In the present embodiment of the invention a liner 29 is shown between the surfaces 8 of the members 6 and 7 and the bearing surface 12 of the member 11 but it is to be understood that this liner may be omitted and the members'G and 7 may rest directly on the member 11 if desired.

When the members 6, 7 and 11 are in cooperating engagement as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the members 4 and 5 engage with each other as indicated by the reference character 14. The point or area of contact 14 between these members is substantially the longitudinal center line of the car and thus it will be seen that buffing shocks are transmitted, substantially independent of the body and truck bearing members, transversely and vertically from the point or area of contact 14. The end surfaces of the members 4 and 5 diverge outwardly thus providing sufficient space between the members around the point or area of contact 14 to permit the bodies to swivel freely in all directions relative to each other without any binding action between bodies.

When the articulation is assembled and the members 6 and 7 of both cars are supported'in the member 11 the form of the cooperating bearing surfaces of the members 7 and 11 would tend to maintain the connection during normal service conditions but should there for any reason or unusual conditionsbeatendency of the one body to move vertically with respect to the other, there might be a separat on of the bodies and to prevent this separat1on a center pin member 15 is inserted in the connection through the members 7 and 11 of the bodies and 9of the truck. For this urpose a portion 16 of the member 7 projects outwardly beyond the member and has an opening 17 therein through which a pin 15 passes and the members 11 and 9 have similarly coinciding openings for the admission of the pin 15. A pocket 27 is preferably formed on the truck so as to form a lubricat1on seal and is preferably of sulficient depth so as to provide clearance between the pin and pocket.

In order to provide maximum freedom of movement between the member 11 and the bearing 9 of the truck, the bearing 9 is preferably formed without sides and although the members 9 and 11, due to their shape, would tend to remain in contact with'each other during normal service conditions, an

additional means is provided to maintain these members in their proper relation to each other. This means comprises an upwardly pro ecting portion 18 in the center of the member 9 having sides which preferably taper inwardly towards the face of the bear mg 9 and a similarly shaped opening is in the member 11 so that when the members 9 and 11 are assembled the member 11 fits down over the projection 18 of the member 9 and prevents undue longitudinal or transverse movement between the members.

A modification of the invention is shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 in which the body members 19, 20 and 21 and the truck bearing 22 have shaped interengaging surfaces similar to those previously described. The modification is shown in the means of securing the center pin in place. As shown in Fig 8 both members 19 and 20 have a similar offset portion 23 for the reception of the head 25 of the center pin 24. The well 26 in the truck bearing 22 is also made of sufficient depth to receive the pin 24 and yet support the pin so that there is a clearance between the underside of the head 25 and the offset portions 23 of the body bearings. This construction not only prevents longitudinal and transverse separation of the car bodies but also limits the amount of vertical movement between the members 19 and 20.

In both the preferred and modified forms,

the body members 6, 7, 19 and 20 are described as being formed with interengaging surfaces in the form of a .portion of a sphere so as to facilitate machining, also the member 11 in the preferred form and the member 21 in the modification are shown as havmg the concave face of similar spherical form to facilitate machining and is made in a separate piece to facilitate assembling, but it is to a be understood that only'the portion of the face of the members 11 and 21 whlch provide a bearing for the members 7 and 20 need be of the form shown and in the preferred design the members 6 and 11 can be made integral.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An articulation for adjacent ends of two car bodies supported on a common truck, comprising a downward depending member on one of said bodies having a convex end portion in the shape of a fportion of asphere, a bearing on said truck or the reception of said convex end portion, a downward depending member on' the other of said bodies havin an end portion in the shape of a portion 0 a sphere and a suitably shaped concave depression in the topface of sa1d convex end portion of the first mentioned downward depending member for the reception of the second downward depending member, said last referred to downward depending member having its bearing surface wholly on one side of the medial line of the spherical concave surface upon which it rests.

2. An articulation for adjacent ends of two car bodies supported on a common truck, comprisin a downward dependlng member on each 0 sa1d bodles, one of sa1d members having a convex lower face in the form of a meaeae the first member and having its bearing surface wholly on one side of the medial line of the surface upon which it rests, and a suitably shaped truck bearing for the reception of the convex face of the lowermost depending member.

' 3. An articulation for adjacent ends of two car bodies supported on a common truck comprising a downward depending member on each of said bodies, one of said members hav-' ing a convex lower face the shape of a portion of a sphere, the other of said members having an enlarged lower portion having a convex lower face in the shape of a portion of a sphere and a concave upper face for the reception of the first mentioned downward depending member, said member'having its bearing surface wholly on one side of said downward depending members having a convex lower face inthe form of a portion of a sphere and resting in said concave portion of the other member, and a suitably shaped truck bearing for the reception of the convex face of the lowermost member, and outwardly projecting portions on said bodies above said downward depending members, said portions being in engagement with each other.

5. An articulation for adjacent ends of two car bodies supported on a common truck, comprising a truck bearing in the shape of a portion of a hollow sphere, a downward depending member underneath one of said bodies having an end portion in the shape of a portion of a sphere and supported in said truck bearing, and a downward depending member underneath the other of said bodies supported on the fore-mentioned downward depending member.

6. An articulation for adjacent ends of two car bodies supported on a common truck comrising a truck bearing having a concave ace for the reception of a downwardly depending member underneath one of said bodies and a downward depending member underneath the other of said bodies bearing in the downward depending member of the first-mentioned body, and means in engagement with both of said downward depending members and said truck bearin the bearing surfaces of each of said depen ing members being portions of spheres having a common center.

7. In an articulation for adjacent ends of two car bodies supported on a common truck comprising a truck bearing having a concave depression in the upper face thereof in the shape of a portion of a sphere, a downward depending member on one of said bodies resting in said truck bearing, a downwardly depending member on the other of said bodies resting in the depending member of the first zientioned body, a center pin engaging with ach of said downward depending members and the truck bearing and projecting portions on said bodies abutting on the vertical center line of said truck bearing.

8. In an articulated car, adjacent ends of two car bodies supported on a'common truck, an articulation comprising downwardly dependin members underneath each of said bodies aving their lower ends in the shape of a portion of a sphere, a bearing member for the reception of said downward depending members, said bearing member having a concave upper face and a convex lower face so as to form a portion of a hollow sphere, each of said spheres having a common center, and a bearing on said truck having a concave upper face for the reception of said body bearing member, said body bearing member being secured to one of said bodies so as to move as a unit with the downward depending member of that body.

9. In an articulated car, adjacent ends of two car bodies, supported on a common truck, an articulation comprising downwardly depending members on each'of said bodies, disposed in line longitudinally of said bodies and having their lower ends in the shape of a portion of a sphere, a bearing member secured to one of said bodies for the reception of said downward depending members, said bearing member having a concave upper face and a convex lower face to form a portion of a hollow sphere and a truck bearing havin a concave upper face for the reception of sai bearing member and a center pin passing through one of said downwardly depending members, bearing member and truck bearing.

10. In an articulated car, adjacent ends of two car bodies, supported on a common truck, downward depending members on each of said bodies having their lower ends in the shape of a portion of a sphere, a bearin member for the reception of said downwar depending members and secured to one of said bodies, said bearin member being in the shape of a portion 0 a sphere, having a concave upper face and a convex lower face, a truck bearing for the reception of said bearing member, a center pin passing through one of said downward depending members, bearing member and truck bearing, and bufling members secured to each of said bodies above said downward depending members, said the articulation is assembled.

11. In an articulatedcar, adjacent ends of two car bodies, supported on a common truck, downward dependin members on each of said bodies having t eir lower ends in the shape of a portion of a sphere, a bearing member for the reception of said downward depending members and secured to one of said bodies, said bearing member being in the shape of a portion of a sphere, having a concave upper face and a convex lower face, a truck bearing for the reception of said bearing member, a center pin passing through one of said downward depending members, bearing member and truck bearing, and buffing members secured to each of said bodies above said downward depending members, said bufiing members being in engagement when the articulation is assembled, the lower ends of said downwarddepending members, bearing member and truck bearing having a radius of curvaturestruck from a point above the center of said truck bearing.

12. An articulated car joint comprising downward dependingmembers on each of said bodies, disposed in line longitudinally of the bodies and having their lower ends in the shape of a portion of a sphere,'a body bearing member for the reception of said downward depending members in the shape of a portion of a hollow sphere and secured to one of said bodies, a bearing mounted on said truck for the reception of said body bearing member, said truck bearing having a concave upper face of the shape of the body bearing member, an outwardly projecting portion on the downward depending member of the opposing car to that on which the body I bearing member is mounted and a center pin passing through said portion, body bearing member and truck bearing.

7 13. In an articulated car joint comprising downward dependin members on each of said bodies having t eir lower ends in the shape of a portion of a sphere, a body bearing member for the reception of said downwarddepending members in the shape of a portion of a hollow sphere and secured to one of said bodies, a bearin mounted on said truck for the reception 0% said body bearing member, said truck bearing having a concave upper face of the shape of the bearing member, an outwardly projecting portion on the downward depending member of the opposing car to that on which the body bearing member is mounted and a center pin passing through said portion, body bearing member and truck bearing, and bufling members mounted on each of said bodies, said butting members being in contact with each other when the bearing is assembled.

14. An articulated car joint comprising downward depending members on each of said car bodies, a body bearing member secured to one of said downward depending ,members, the other of said downward de- 

